It clears your airways.

It clears your airways.

Practicing yoga helps reduce the impact of asthma, according to a 2016 report. Investigators analyzed 15 trials of adults suffering from mild to moderate asthma, and found that the discipline helped in 1/3 of study participants.

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It sharpens your mind.

It sharpens your mind.

Older adults responded quicker and more accurately on cognitive tests after eight weeks of practicing hatha yoga compared to just stretching and toning, according to 2014 research from the University of Illinois. By combining focused breathing with asanas, hatha may have improved their reaction to stress, study authors say.

It clears your airways.

Practicing yoga helps reduce the impact of asthma, according to a 2016 report. Investigators analyzed 15 trials of adults suffering from mild to moderate asthma, and found that the discipline helped in 1/3 of study participants.

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It sharpens your mind.

Older adults responded quicker and more accurately on cognitive tests after eight weeks of practicing hatha yoga compared to just stretching and toning, according to 2014 research from the University of Illinois. By combining focused breathing with asanas, hatha may have improved their reaction to stress, study authors say.

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It decreases arthritis pain.

People suffering from knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis felt roughly 20% better after eight weeks of regular yoga classes, according to a 2015 study. "Yoga may be especially well suited to people with arthritis because it combines physical activity with potent stress management," study author Susan J. Bartlett, Ph.D., said in a statement.

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It helps regulate stress.

Older adults who practiced yoga regularly for eight weeks reported feeling less stressed — something a salivary cortisol test supported in a 2016 study. Some people score the soothe after just a single class. Middle-aged women in a 2017 study secreted lower amounts of cortisol (the stress hormone) after 90 minutes of yoga compared to resting.

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It boosts your sex life.

Who needs a little blue pill when you have the cobra pose? Guys saw a boost in all areas of sexual functioning — including desire, performance and confidence — after completing 12 weeks of yoga for a 2010 study. Meanwhile, other research conducted that same year found yoga improved all aspects of sexual function in women, including arousal, orgasm and satisfaction.

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It alleviates chronic back pain.

Scientists named yoga one of the most effective exercises for alleviating chronic pain in a 2017 study review. More research in 2011 reported that women with ongoing backaches improved their symptoms after 12 weeks of viniyoga, a type of yoga that incorporates personalized modifications. The study authors credit the stretching and strengthening of the muscles for alleviating the pain.

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It calms inflammation.

Researchers from UCLA conducted two studies in 2012 that found just 12 minutes of Kirtan Kriya meditation (which involves chanting and finger poses) every day for eight weeks helped decrease the immune system's inflammatory response. That's great news considering inflammation levels are tied to pretty much every major disease.

It eases neck pain.

Roughly 15% of the world's population suffers from chronic neck pain, but a small study conducted in Europe reports yoga might help. The 2012 research found that adults who took lyengar yoga classes (where personalized poses are held for long periods of time) for 10 weeks felt a significant reduction in localized aches. The study authors suggest yoga might reduce stress-related muscle tension and even modify pain perception.

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It can mean fewer trips to the doctor.

Thousands of study participants in a year-long relaxation program involving meditation, yoga and prayer visited their doctors 43% less than the year before, according to 2015 research from Massachusetts General Hospital. Physical and psychological stresses tend to worsen most medical conditions, so strategies like yoga and meditation could help, says Davi E. Nampiaparampil, M.D. of the NYU School of Medicine.